An accused shoplifter is facing a murder charge as an habitual offender in the death of a Bellaire motorcycle officer during a high-speed chase, prosecutors said Thursday.

Dante Jerel Moore, 27, who turned himself in to authorities late Wednesday, admitted that he was driving the vehicle that led police through residential areas of Bellaire at speeds of up to 80 mph, prosecutors told a judge Thursday.

Prosecutors outlined the case against Moore before Magistrate Judge Blanca Villagomez Thursday, but Moore did not appear in court. It was unclear why he was not at the arraignment, but the judge indicated that he was in the medical ward of the jail. He does not yet have an attorney.

Moore is accused of felony murder-causing the death of someone while committing another felony, such as evading a police officer.

Moore has a long list of arrests in Harris County, including convictions for burglary in 2007, felony possession of cocaine in 2011 and evading arrest in 2013.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of life in prison, with a minimum punishment of 25 years in prison if he is classified as an habitual offender.

On Thursday, prosecutor Shannon Dehner said Moore told investigators he was driving so fast he had trouble concentrating on the road.

Moore and a friend were allegedly shoplifting at a Target in nearby Meyerland when they were chased out of the store by a loss prevention officer who spotted Zarate in the parking lot and told him about the fleeing men.

The Bellaire motorcycle officer pulled up behind them before they pulled out of the parking lot. They sped away when Zarate approached them on foot, police said.

Zarate jumped back on his motorcycle and followed them along the narrow streets of Bellaire.

Deryl Banks and his landscaping crew were mowing a lawn along the 8500 block of Ferris when Banks spotted Zarate apparently lose control of his motorcycle.

Zarate fell after hitting the right rear section of the trailer. The motorcycle continued forward, vaulting over the curb and onto the lawn.

Paramedics arrived shortly after the wreck and performed CPR, then rushed Zarate to the hospital.

The Houston Police Department is investigating the fatal crash along with the earlier shoplifting incident because both events happened within Houston city limits.